Private Pilot

What is it?

The Private Pilot Certificate program will take you from zero hours of flight experience through earning your first pilot certificate.  The program includes both flight training and ground instruction. Our primary goal is to ensure that you become a safe and competent pilot--not just that you know enough to pass your FAA practical test.

The Private Pilot Certificate allows you to fly an airplane and carry passengers privately, i.e. not for pay. You can, however, offer a pro-rata share.

What are the requirements?

-be at least 17 years old
-be able to read, write, and converse fluently in English.
-have a current FAA third-class medical certificate
-log at least 40 hours of flight
-have at least 20 hours of flight with an instructor
-have at least 10 hours of solo flight
-pass the FAA Private Pilot Airmen Knowledge written test
-pass a FAA Private Pilot flight exam

How much does it cost?

The FAA requires a minimum of 40 hours before you can take your FAA Private Pilot flight exam. FAA studies report that the national average is 71 hours (42 dual and 29 solo).

Here's a cost breakdown for 71 hours:

Ground school		$400
42 hours of dual instruction
42 hours dual instruction	$40 x 42	$1,680
42 hours aircraft rental	$140 x 42	$5,880
29 hours of solo flight
29 hours aircraft rental	$140 x 29	$4,060
Practical test
1.5 hours aircraft rental	$140 x 1.5	$210
Examiner fee		$350
TOTAL		$12,580

The above prices are for training in Cessna 172 NAVII aircraft @ $140/hr hobbs wet and assuming the national average of flight training hours.

Other aircraft are available at Texins Flying Club

Instrument rating

What is it?

The instrument rating allows you to fly in low visibility conditions. It requires additional training and instruction specific to flight by reference to instruments as well as meteorology.

The flight training you receive during your instrument rating will make you a better pilot and give you a lot more confidence in the air.

What are the requirements?

-hold at least a Private Pilot Certificate (link to PPL page)
-be at least 17 years old
-Be able to read, write, and converse fluently in English
-Hold a current FAA Medical Certificate
-Receive and log ground training from an authorized instructor (i.e. ground school course) or complete a home-study course using an instrument textbook and/or videos
-have at least 50 hours of cross-country flight time as pilot in command, which can include solo cross-country time as a student pilot. Each cross-country must have a landing at an airport that is at least a straight-line distance of more than 50 NM from the original departure point
-must make at least one cross-country flight that is performed under IFR and transits a distance of at least 250 NM along airways or ATC-directed routing and includes an instrument approach at each airport so that a total of three different kinds of instrument approaches are performed
-a total of 40 hours of actual or simulated instrument time, including a minimum of 15 hours of instrument flight training from a Flight Instructor certified to teach the instrument rating

How much does it cost?

40 hours of dual instruction
40 hours dual instruction	$40 x 40	$1,600
40 hours aircraft rental	$140 x 40	$5,600
Practical test
1.5 hours aircraft rental	$140 x 1.5	$210
Examiner fee		$350
TOTAL		$7,760

The above prices are for training in Cessna 172 NAVII aircraft @ $140/hr hobbs wet assuming the national minimum of flight training hours.

Other aircraft are available at Texins Flying Club

Multi engine (private, commercial and instructor)

What is it?

After completing this course and passing the checkride you will be able to fly multiengine airplanes.

What are the requirements?

-must have a FAA Private Pilot or Commercial Pilot certificate
-at least a 3^rd class FAA medical certificate

How much does it cost?

The total training time for this rating is 10 hours for the multiengine private rating. Some candidates might require more, depending on their learning style and past experience.

Currently Desert Spirit Aviation does not have access to a multiengine trainer but we can offer instruction in customer owned multi engine aircraft. Current make and models we can instruct in are:
-Beech Duchess BE-36
-Piper Twin Comanche PA-30

Commercial Pilot

What is it?

After completing this course and passing the checkride you will be able to fly pasengers and cargo for hire.

What are the requirements?

-must be at least 18 years old
-hold at least a private pilot certificate
-meet the aeronautical experience requirements that apply to the aircraft category and class rating sought
-at least a 3^rd class FAA medical certificate

How much does it cost?

The total training time varies depending on the skill and the current ratings of the candidate. Some candidates might require more, depending on their learning style and past experience.

At a minimum the candidate shall log:

-20 hours of training on the areas of operation as listed for this rating, that includes at least 10 hours of instrument training, of which at least 5 hours must be in a single engine airplane, 10 hours of training in an airplane that has a retractable landing gear, flaps, and a controllable pitch propeller, or is turbine-powered, one cross- country flight of at least 2 hours in a single engine airplane in day VFR conditions, consisting of a total straight-line distance of more than 100 nautical miles from the original point of departure, one cross-country flight of at least 2 hours in a single engine airplane in night VFR conditions, consisting of a total straight-line distance of more than 100 nautical miles from the original point of departure

-10 hours of solo flight in a single engine airplane, including one cross-country flight of not less than 300 nautical miles total distance and as specified, and 5 hours in night VFR conditions with 10 takeoffs and 10 landings (with each landing involving a flight in the traffic pattern) at an airport with an operating control tower